2017 Yamaha Contender Miami Sportfish Tournament

Florida Sportsman Newswire

A $30,000 top boat prize makes this one of the most exciting sportfishing tournaments in south Florida!

2016’s weight in.

The Yamaha Contender Miami Sportfish Tournament is gearing up for its 2017 event, held May 4 & 6, 2017 at the Miami Beach Marina on South Beach in Florida. A $30,000 Top Boat prize makes the Yamaha Contender Miami Sportfish Tournament one of the most exciting sportfishing events of the year! It is a fantastic fishing tournament, offering participants great parties, food from Flanigan’s, gifts, amenities and prizes, all while donating proceeds to various charities, scholarships and educational programs.

The tournament will seek species including Dolphin, Tuna, Kingfish, Wahoo, Cobia, Mutton Snapper and Billfish. The winners will be determined by the combined aggregate weight of the 3 heaviest fish from each Funfish species per boat, as well as 15 points added to the aggregate weight for each billfish release (up to 3 releases per boat). The $500 entry fee (before April 14) for four anglers allows anglers access to all the weekend’s events, parties, an angler shirt, amenities and gifts. Additional angler entries can be purchased.

Top "Pee Wee" angler of 2016.

The tournament begins on Thursday evening, with a kick-off party and Captain’s meeting at the tournament’s main tent at Miami Beach Marina. On Saturday, boats can depart from any inlet in South Florida to fish from 7:00 – 4:00 pm. After lines out, the official weigh-in takes place at Miami Beach Marina. Here, the tournament will offer participants and the public a Baywalk Festival, featuring various local artists and craftsman, as well as our popular dock parties, offering drink specials, exhibitors, raffles, entertainment and giveaways at the weigh-station. This is followed by the tournament Awards Party in the main tent. The party is open to participants and the public, and includes a huge silent auction, offering incredible opportunities to bid on great deals including exotic trips, fine jewelry, artwork, fishing tackle, consumer and marine electronics and more. During this time, our tournament awards ceremony will be held with dinner hosted by Flanigan’s. The finale is the drawing of the winning raffle ticket for a new 25’ Tournament Contender Boat complete with twin 150hp Yamaha 4-Stroke Outboard Engines, a Bluewater Towers T-top and Leaning Post, Tigress Outriggers and Accessories and a Continental Trailer, valued over $110,000. Raffle tickets are available at www.miamisportfish.com, or up until the time of the drawing on site at the tournament.

The Yamaha Contender Miami Sportfish Tournament (formally the Miami Billfish Tournament) was founded over 34 years ago with the goal to raise money for marine conservation, education and promote preservation awareness. The tournament has donated over $750,000 to various organizations such as the University of Miami Experimental Hatchery Program, The Billfish Foundation, Coastal Conservation Association, the Florida Keys Marine Laboratory and various educational scholarships. The event is supported by sponsors and product donations nationwide interested in giving back to the marine industry. Principal sponsors this year include Yamaha Motor Corp., Contender Boats, Costa Sunglasses, Miami-Dade County, Flanigan’s, Blanchard Machinery, Admiral Oil and RICOH.